Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 07 July 1939

Crushed By Coal

Accident No One Saw

Goldthorpe Miner Killed At Barnburgh Colliery

The Doncaster District Coroner, Mr. W. H. Carlile was told at an inquest at the Buxton Arms, Goldthorpe, on Wednesday that no one knew, or had seen what a Goldthorpe miner, Bernard Bailey, (44) of 10, St. Mary’s Road, was doing just before a lump of coal, some seven feet long and three feet thick, fell on him and killed him. He was working on a conveyor belt and there were twenty or thirty men in the vicinity, the nearest only three or four yards away.

Mr. G. C. Payne, manager of Barnburgh Main Colliery represented the Colliery company, Mr. Brown, H. M. Inspector of Mines was present, and Mr. W. A. Williams represented the Yorkshire Mineworkers’ Association.

Huge Lump Of Coal.

Evidence showed that Bailey had been working on “E” conveyor face loading coal on to the belt, on Tuesday, when a large piece of coal measuring seven feet in length and three feet in thickness fell from the face partly burying him. He appeared to be dead when extricated and a medical examination confirmed this.

Alexander Reuben Bailey, of 4, Leadley Street, Goldthorpe, haulage contractor said he was Bailey’s brother and gave evidence of identification. He last spoke to his brother about a week ago, when he was in the best of health.

George Henry Stocks of 123, Ings Field Lane, Bolton, was working only four yards from Bailey, and stated that the conveyor had been standing for three or four minutes before the fall. The conveyor re-started and he had just started shovelling when he heard a shout from Bailey, who was behind him. He dropped his shovel and ran to see where Bailey was, and found him doubled up just under the end of the fall. He shouted for assistance, and when he and another collier failed to lift the coal he fetched further aid, but Bailey appeared to be dead.

The Coroner: Was the place well timbered?

Witness: Yes sir.

Stocks told the coroner that a few minutes before Bailey and another man were joking. The coal face was perfectly normal and there were no overhangings.

Careful Worker.

The Coroner asked whether witness was sure there were no no overhangings as a plan he had showed there were.

Witness replied that he would not have wanted any supports where Bailey was, and he knew Bailey to be a very careful worker. There was a slip in the coal face behind the piece of coal and he thought that was the cause of it coming down.

The Coroner: Would that cause a bump?

Witness: Yes sir, but I did not notice any at the time.

The Coroner asked whether witness thought that the re-starting of the conveyor had been responsible for the fall, but Stocks said he could not say.

Witness thought that conditions were very good where they were working. Concluding his evidence Stocks said there was plenty of timber available for setting sprags. It was his first shift on nights and therefore he was not familiar with the working.

Heard “Bump.”

Christopher Finney, of 43, Helena Street. Mexborough, who was working on Bailey’s right side a few yards away said he heard a “bump”, and ran to find Bailey under the coal. They had him out within three or four minutes. He could not say what Bailey was doing at the time as he had his back towards him. He corroborated Stocks’ evidence that it was a good working place and said it was a straight face. He thought it must have been the bump which caused the fall. The deputy had not been round that shift but the place was well timbered. On Tuesday night the bottom soft coal was out farther than the top and he thought that was where Bailey was. There was no support where the cut had been made and the overhanging roof was above Bailey. In his opinion Bailey should have inserted supports. He agreed that it was possible that Bailey had been using his pick which was found under the fall.

The deputy for that shift Horace Yates, of High Street. Harlington, said he had not visited “E” conveyor face but was there shortly after the accident. He examined the place from which the coal had fallen and could not find a slip which would cause it to come down on its own. He said it was usual to take the top coal out first, but the men would naturally take the bottoms out first if the top was hard. If Bailey was doing this he was working in danger. He thought that Bailey was attempting to liberate the piece of coal, had brought it down and had been unable to get clear.

Broken Neck.

Dr. J. K. W. Morris, said he examined the body and found a fracture of the spine in the region of the neck and also in the lumbar region. There was a fracture of the ribs and the left side had evidently punctured the lung. There was a compound fracture of the right ankle and deep grazing or cutting wounds in the back. Death was caused by fracture of the spine.

The Coroner said that it appeared to have been an accident pure and simple. He thought the jury could return a verdict of “Accidental Death”. The jury returned a verdict accordingly.